Future ain’t profound

The question that pops up, as I watch the post apocalypse landscape flourish in the last two minutes of the two-and-half hour saga, why is Hollywood obsessed with happy ever-afters? For heaven's sake, the man just nuked himself and the evil forces, is it that hard to digest? That question is chased away as another dismaying question strays in: what happened to the short and sweet one-and-half-hour Hollywood format?

As science fictions go, Oblivion is aesthetically pleasing. It is obvious that the director, Joseph Kosinski, has set aside budget worries and has lovingly created his fictional world. The 'post war' landscape is eerily beautiful and Tom Cruise's abode, perched atop clouds, is possibly every multimillionaire’s dream home – sleek, minimal and futuristic. The story sets off languidly and the pace never picks up. To be honest, for most part we don't mind the slow paced narration, mesmerised as we are with the 'future' gadgets.

And as the story lines go, Oblivion is as elemental as science fiction gets. Aliens have attacked earth. Hand full of earthlings get together and destroy the evil forces. A few, a la Armageddon, walk into it knowing very well it's a one-way ticket. It is also obvious that Kosinski is foregoing action in order to create something profound. But unfortunately, with so much at stake – all those artistic display obviously needs some heavy duty moolah – Kosinski has given into pressure and sneaked in Hollywood's staple emotional scenes – like the boy in the crowd of the 'last ones standing' on whom the camera lingers and the baby that Tom Cruise's wife gives birth to. Profundity, unfortunately, is lost somewhere along the way and we are left with a slow-paced, good looking sci-fi thriller that is hardly thrilling.